Empty Frames
by maxtreme225
Summary: ...all that was left were memories, some pictures and....and an empty frame of shattered happiness... The Wilkerson Family loses a member...


_**Empty Frames**_

They need a miracle. A big one if they want to pull through this together. If they want their family back to how it used to be. Malcolm was seated in between Reese and Dewey, his head buried in his hands. Reese was staring at Hal who was pacing back and forth in front of them while Dewey was sobbing quietly. They were in front of the emergency operation room, in the hospital. There was a light above the door in front of them, indicating that an operation was currently being carried out, an operation that would determine the direction of their future life.

Reese was not taking it too well, despite his seemingly calm countenance. He thought about what he said that very afternoon.

"_I hate you!! You are the lousiest Mom to have ever walked the planet. I wished I had never been born!!"_

Lois had wanted to ground Reese for fighting in school again, even when he insisted he was provoked and that the teacher who witnessed it refused to hear Reese's side of the story. Needless to say, he had reacted rather violently.

"_Listen to me young man!! You- where are you going?"_

Those were the last words he heard before he went out of the house, slamming the front door as hard as he could. He even thought he heard glass shatter. _I'm a horrible son, _he thought_, what did I do to them? Nothing. I do nothing but cause them trouble and pain and...and now..._

He glanced at his father's face. The usually smiling and timid man was wracked with fear and anguish. His hair was a mess and he looked like he could burst into tears any moment. Reese blinked. Tears began to sting the corner of his eyes.

Dewey's sobs did nothing to better the atmosphere. However, his quiet gasps for air and sniffs were ignored. Everyone was lost in their own thoughts, each reliving their last moments with Lois, thinking about what they could have done, should have done to prevent this from happening.

"It's my fault," whispered Malcolm, raising his head to reveal red-rimmed eyes.

Hal stopped pacing and stared. Reese also turned to his brother in surprise. Even Dewey stopped his sobbing to listen, his cheeks wet with tears.

Malcolm buried his head into his hands again. Voice cracking, he said, "Mom wanted me to…to accompany her to the store to…to pick up some stu…stuff. Milk and…and…" he trailed off.

"Malcolm-" Hal started but was interrupted by an outburst from Malcolm.

"If I had followed her she…she… I might have been able to see the truck!! It's my fault," he was getting hysterical, his eyes wild, "I might have…I would have been able to save her! Dad, don't you get it? Its my fault…my fault…"

Hal looked at Malcolm before averting his eyes. Malcolm noticed.

"Oh my God, its my fault isn't it? I knew it…I knew it…" he sobbed, his hands pulling at his hair, "…my fault…my fault…"

"Malcolm… no ... it wasn't…come on Malcolm," Hal bent down in front of Malcolm, taking the boy's head against his shoulder, letting him sob there.

"Now, now…it would have only been worse, with you in the car," Hal could barely keep his own tears from falling but for his sons, his family, he needed to stay strong. He continued patting Malcolm on his back.

**_Empty frames, pictures torn apart._**

_No goodnight kisses anymore._

_And goodbye sweetie…_

_now I have to go,_

_remember me…_

"Dad? Is mom gonna be ok?" Dewey asked, his voice barely a squeak.

Hal nodded his head, "Don't you worry about that son. Mom will never let us down. She would never."

Just as Dewey nodded, accepting the answer, sounds of running footsteps could be heard coming from down the hall way. All of the boys looked up to see Francis, who had just moved into the new house, still in his overalls splattered with paint.

"I came as soon as I could," he panted.

**_There is a better place…_**

****

**_That awaits me… I'll see you there._**

_You've got the whole world,_

_ahead of you…_

_Ahead of you…_

"Piama's on her way up. She had to go to the ladies," added Francis, after catching his breath, "How is she and…and you ok Malcolm?"

Malcolm, whose eyes were still tear stained and whose cheeks were still wet, nodded, sniffing as he did so. Francis walked over to give him a hug and Malcolm returned it, standing up shakily as he did so, burying his head into his eldest brother's shoulders, fresh tears springing up again. Reese stared at them without saying anything, his eyes wandering to a sign at the end of the hallway.

"I need the toilet," he mumbled, wiping his eyes while feigning a yawn.

**_I'm sorry,_**

****

I didn't say goodbye.

I'm sorry that I made you cry.

And I'd make it up to you,

If I had the… if I had the chance to…

As Reese disappeared down the hallway, Dewey began to speak, stuttering and stammering as the words left his mouth.

"If I had… I wanted to…wanted to eat cereal for dinner and Mom…wanted to let me. Because…because I told her my tummy aches… and…and… I'm sorry," he began crying again and this time Hal turned towards him, carrying Dewey over his shoulders, giving him comfort as Malcolm, who seemed to be the only one who understand where Dewey was leading said, "It wasn't your fault. It wasn't only milk we needed…we were…we were out of coffee and…and sugar…"

**_And what are we supposed to do…_**

_when everything goes wrong?_

_Is it possible to change our destiny?_

Hearing Malcolm's words, Dewey's sobs subsided a little even though he was still partly convinced that somehow, he was to be blamed.

"…probably would have gone to the shop anyway. She always wanted to make sure everything… everything was there for us when we need them…" Malcolm had taken to murmuring to himself but his tears have at least stopped flowing.

Just as Francis wanted to ask his father fro news regarding Lois, the light above the operation room went off, earning a sharp intake of breath from all of them. Moments later, a portly surgeon who was putting on a white coat came through the door with a clipboard in his hand.

"Mr. Wilkerson?" he addressed Hal. Hal had never looked so pale in his entire life.

"I'm here to inform you about your wife's condition, which is stable for the moment-," at this statement, everyone heaved a sigh of relief. Dewey was even smiling.

**_And what are we supposed to do…_**

_when everything right goes wrong?_

_It's impossible, to change our destiny…_

"… we still need to keep her here for observation for at least a week or two…" the doctor droned on, "…rest and her throat was injured so no solid-,"

Before the doctor could finish what he was saying, a scream from the end of the hall way tore through the calm that was just beginning to settle itself into the surroundings. All of them jumped at the outcry and whirled around to see Piama, eyes wide with horror with silvery streams running down her cheeks. Two nurses were attempting to restrain her as she attempted to run towards them. She continued to scream and the blood of all the Wilkerson men ran cold as they began to comprehend the words Piama was hurling at them in short bursts through sobs tinged with distress and hysteria.

"…JUMPED!! REESE JUMPED!!! THE TENTH FLOOR!!! THE TENTH FLOOR!!!"

Francis sprinted towards her.

"…DEAD!!! HE'S DEEEEAAAAD!!!! HE'S-" was all Piama could muster before fainting into Francis's outstretched arms.

**_There is a better place…_**

****

**_That awaits me…_**

****  
_**I'll see you there.**_

_**You've got the whole world…**_

**_Ahead of you._**

**  
_Ahead of you..._**

No family cried harder that night. All that remained of their complete family were memories, some pictures, each other. An empty frame of shattered happiness.

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**Song is written and sung by Daphne Khoo. I don't own the characters and the song. Please Review if you can.**


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